Strategic development plans, a new planning paradigm in Danish planning

Strategic development plans, a new planning paradigm in Danish planning Setting the scene • The county’s regional plan was causing many restrictions...
Author: Edwin Carson
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Strategic development plans, a new planning paradigm in Danish planning

Setting the scene • The county’s regional plan was causing many restrictions (rising from legislation) • Very unpopular among entrepreneurs and municipalities wanting more flexible development • The professional environment among the planners at the county was very strong • Politicians (all levels) felt they had too little power to do politics due to the strength of the planners

The reform • Counties cease to exist • Municipalities amalgamate, become bigger units and take over many of the county’s task • 7 national centres for environmental issues and planning take over the rest of the county’s task • 5 new regions formed, primary task is to run the hospitals

Planning tasks of the new regions • • • • •

Strategic development plan Regional business development plan Strategy for Local Agenda 21 Planning for raw materials Plan for cleaning up sites with contaminated soil

The challenge of the RDP • Municipalities don’t want it • National level does not really want it (a political compromise) • Regions have very limited power so many stakeholders just don’t care about the RDP • If the RDP is not adopted by the stakeholders it will have no effect

The chances of the RDP • Can form an overall vision for the development in the region • Can address themes and issues that are cross-municipal and requires coordination at a higher municipal level • Can be a platform of cooperation between stakeholders at the regional level • Can be a strategic tool for the region’s development

Critical success factors • Plan must be accepted and adopted by municipalities • Stakeholder must involve them selves in the making of the plan • Politicians must feel that they are making the plan, making political decisions • The national level must acknowledge the plan and admit the regional level has something to offer • The citizens must become aware what the RDP is all about

We need • New ways of cooperating and communicating between administration, politicians and stakeholders • Build up new networks • Utilize the resources in better ways • Build up alliances

New regional role • • • •

Not an authority More the facilitator The catalyst of regional development Networking – The administrative staff is ready for this, but are the politicians?

• Very open, leaving space on the scene for other actors

Kick off conference June 2006 • All possible stakeholder invited (about 250) • Group based discussions, like a major brain storm, very open: • What should the RDP be about?: – How can the villages become a valuable assett for North Jutland? – What can we do to keep the smartest people in North Jutland? – Why should a young well educated couple choose to live in North Jutalnd? – Is North Jutland a “cultural hole in the ground” – Will Aalborg become a suburb to Århus?

Theme groups • Based on this 7 theme groups were formed • Theme groups should work until fall 2007, discussing and developing the content of the RDP relative to their particular subject • Business • Education • Tourism • Culture • Transport and ICT • Nature and environment • Employment

Theme members • Chairman – not from the regional administration staff • Secretary (regional staff) • Representatives of – – – – –

Municipalities (administrative and political level) Business Educational institutions (eg University, trade schools) NGO’s Theme related stakeholders (various)

• Theme groups size app. 15 persons

Leading the process • Political steering committee

Politisk styregruppe

• Administrative steering committee

Sekretariat

Byer, landskab og ø-samfund Forskning og innovation Erhvervsudviklingsstrategi

Erhverv

Internationalisering

Infrastruktur incl. IKT

Leading administrative staff from municipalities

Natur og miljø



Administrativ styregruppe

Kultur



Uddannelse



Regionsråd

Beskæftigelse



Mayors and leading politicians from municipalities Mayor and leading politicians from regional council All political parties represented All geographic parts of the region represented

Turisme



Take off conference • January 2007 • Theme groups start working • Brainstorming and developing ideas using Appreciative Inquiry • Bazar in april 2007 agreeing on the interfaces between the theme groups (overlapping themes)

Theme group work process • Meeting 5-6 times • Arranging workshops with invited speakers and politicians • Writing a theme group report • Giving input to the RDP-report

Involving the youth • The youth represent the future of the region – but they are not represented in the theme groups… • Open call to all young people (15-20 years) in the region to join a day of creative idea development • 40 young people showed up at the venue (The local zoo) • Worked with no breaks from 9 morning to 11 evening

Challenges to the youth • Nature and environment: arrange your graduation party in the forest – on a rainy day • Culture: school/work ends a 15.30, but you are not allowed to go home until 19. what will you do and where will you be? • Infrastructure and ICT: in 2017 gasoline costs 4 € a litre, how will YOU get to work? • Education: Create a system where it is not possible NOT to get a basic education • Employment: How can we make people want to live in Hundelev in 2017 (a very boring village far away from everything) • Tourism and experience economy: Create the perfect vacation experience at Limfjorden in January • Business: how can we create a Google-business in North Jutland?

Outcome • Wilder and more creative ideas for projects and development than those from the theme groups • Loads of inspiration • Awareness among the young people of the intentions and challenges of the RDP and the region

The RDP • “North Jutland, a place of opportunities” • From periphery to cutting edge with creativity and proficiency • Plan proposal finalised in October 2007 – – – – –

Main plan report Short-and-easy version 7 theme reports Strategic environmental assessment report Report on scenarios for climate change

• Plan proposal approved by regional council December 2007

Public hearing of the RDP • Challenge: • A very strategic plan, not immediately affecting the lives of citizens • The general public do not know the regions and what the regions do • How can we make the public aware of the plan and engage them into a debate?

The solution • Banners on busses, advertising in news papers etc • Movie trailer in cinemas • Competition (prize 10 Ipod nano): 150 words about the future of North Jutland • 4 public meetings

The public meetings, programme • Introduction by Mayor of the regional Council • Short presentation of the content of the RDP by administrative leader • Local business leader and local mayor comment on the RDP • Presentation of future trends by future researcher (very nice looking and popular person…) • “taste of North Jutland” free dinner • Debate between public and politicians, moderated by popular radio journalist

Mode of the debate • Everyone participating in the meeting have a sign saying “NO” and one side, “Yes” at the other • Signs are used to signal each persons response to the following questions: – – – –

Will you children and grand children live in North Jutland in 2017? Will most of the people of North Jutland need to Commute longer distances to their jobs in 2017? Will the economic growth in North Jutland exceed the national average? Is the RDP the right answer to the challenges North Jutland faces?

• The moderator asks individuals to elaborate their answer, and then asks the politicians to respond to this

Public meetings, summing up • At each meeting between 70-90 people showed up • About half of the “normal citizens” (not administrative staff or politicians) • Debate was lively and good • Politicians enjoyed the chance to be visible to the public • Everybody loved the food ☺ • Widespread accentance of the RDP

Hearing ends this week • Deadline for submitting comments and veto’s to the RDP expired last week • 75 written remarks have been given, most of the positive • No veto’s • RDP accepted by municipalities and national level • RDP got high acclaims from national level

The road ahead • Minor alterations to the plan, then the regional council will approve the final version of the RDP • Big implementation conference in June • Start up of projects to implement the RDP and make it real • Committing stakeholders and municipalities to work for the projects and the RDP

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